The Half Time Paradox
by ZenaMillion
Summary: The 11th Doctor's suspicions about his companion, Zara Thompson, leads him into running some tests, but will what he finds out ruin their bond, or make it stronger? (Doctor Who one-shot, based on the hit BBC Television show. Doctor Who belongs to BBC, whilst Zara belongs to me. No copyright infringement was intended.)


The Half Time Paradox

"You," Zara's voice tore The Doctor from his thoughts.

"Me!" The Doctor smiled as he turned to face his companion.

"Don't get cutesy with me, I've a bone to pick with you." Zara placed her hands on her hips.

The Doctor chuckled as he turned towards the TARDIS' control panel again. "Oh dear, what did I do this time?"

"You've been acting... strange lately. More than usual. You're hiding something, and I won't give up until I find out what it is." Zara told him.

"It's nothing you need to concern yourself with." The Doctor told her, his tone suddenly becoming serious.

"Oh no no, you're not going to do this again! Doctor, it's obviously bothering you. So please, tell me what's wrong." Zara said, her arms now crossed.

"Zara please, it's just something that's bothered me for a while."

"All the more reason to tell me about it and get it off your chest."

"Zara, don't do-"

"Why do you always do this? I always tell you what's bothering me, because if I don't, you never shut up unless I do, but when I ask you to tell me what's wrong, you give me the cold shoulder. Now it's my turn not to shut up unless you tell me. So," Zara sat down in one of the chairs by the control panel. "spill."

"I do this because I care about you. I want you to tell me your problems so I can help you. I don't want to burden you with mine."

"If I'd be 'burdened' by them, why would I ask?"

The Doctor stayed quiet.

"Doctor?"

"Zara," he finally said. "do you trust me?"

Zara raised her eyebrow. "You _know_ I do."

"Then trust me when I say there's nothing you can do to help me with this problem."

...

Zara lay awake in her room in the TARDIS, her arms crossed behind her head, one leg over the other, moving her foot to the drum beat of a song that was stuck in her head. She couldn't help but worry about The Doctor, that much was for sure. He had been so... off, lately and it annoyed her more than anything that he refused to tell her what was on his mind.

He had worried her more by his goodnight,

...

_"I'm going to head off for the night," Zara said as she began up the stairs. "goodnight, Doctor."_

_ The Doctor's eyes were glued to the TARDIS' monitor. "Goodnight, Thompson."_

_ Zara laughed slightly. "You only call me by my last name when you're worried about me."_

_ "I'm always worried about you," he told her, not taking his eyes off the monitor. Whatever was on it, it was obviously important. "and with good reason."_

_ Zara said nothing more. She just passed another glance at The Doctor before leaving. _

...

She was worried about him. Actually, that was an understatement. But she really didn't have a different or better word for what she felt.

She settled for closing her eyes. She had a feeling it was going to be a long day tomorrow and falling asleep through it wasn't on her list.

...

The Doctor began tapping his foot impatiently, his arms crossed. His finger tapped against his arm. He had not moved away from the monitor since he began doing whatever it was he was doing.

"Come on already." The Doctor growled.

After a few more minutes, The Doctor sighed and dropped his arms to his sides. He turned around and started towards his own room, but a slight alarm went off and it caught his attention. He looked over his shoulder at the monitor.

"No... No it can't be..." he said, his voice nothing more than a whisper. He walked back to the monitor to get a closer look, to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. They weren't. "How is this even possible?" he asked himself. He looked at it for a second more and a sudden anger washed over him and he shut the monitor off.

He turned around once more and this time, he didn't look back.

...

"Good morning, Doctor." Zara said as she walked into the control room, stretching her arms over her head.

"Morning." The Doctor said simply, messing around with the controls.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

The Doctor turned around and looked at her. After looking her over a few times, he spoke. "Yes, I'm perfectly fine." He then smiled. "We've things to do today, Thompson!" he spun back around to face the panel once more.

"What's the date?" Zara laughed.

"15th century Europe! Quite an exciting time and place!" The Doctor exclaimed. "Hold onto something, it's about to get crazy!" he grinned and put his hand on the lever. "Geronimo!" he yelled and pulled down on the lever.

...

The Doctor opened the door of the TARDIS, and sure enough, it was 15th century Europe. Men in armor, women in long dresses, horses, farms, villages, swords, shields, bows, the works.

"I find it ironic that you picked my favorite time period. You usually only take me when..." Zara stopped for a minute. "What happened?"

"Why does something had to have happened?" The Doctor chuckled. "Maybe I just wanted to bring you somewhere you knew for a change."

"Okay, fine. But usually when you bring me here, you've found something involving me that I don't know about and you take me here so it comes easier." Zara said, her hands on her hips.

"You have me all figured out, don't you?"

"Basically."

"I promise you, nothing has happened."

"You _better_ not be hiding anything." Zara warned.

The Doctor bit his lip. He tried to take out his sonic screwdriver, but it wasn't there. "Oh blimey." he sighed. "Zara, do me a favor and go back in the TARDIS and get my screwdriver. It should be in its holster... thingy."

"Holster thingy. Yep, I'll be able to find that in a second." Zara said sarcastically.

"Oh and use the monitor to find out if there are any strange creatures about." The Doctor said.

"Yeah yeah." Zara waved her hand dismissively as she walked back into the TARDIS.

She closed the door behind her and made her way to the control panel. Right off the bat she saw that sonic screwdriver sticking out of some holster thing. Huh... Guess their minds weren't far off when it came to describing things. She picked up the screwdriver and walked over to the monitor so she could scan the area like The Doctor asked.

After looking around a bit, she finally found the button that turned on the screen.

"Bloody thing." she growled. She was tapping her foot impatiently. But it slowed down when she saw what was on said monitor. "Wha... What?" she asked herself. Her hand went to her mouth and her eyes widened in shock. On the screen, it read,

_Name: Zara Elizabeth Thompson_

_Age: (Estimated) 23 years_

_Height: 5' 8''_

_Weight: 8 Stones_

_Race: Caucasian_

_Nationality: Britain _

_Date of Birth: (Estimated) January 14, 1990, 2:30 AM_

_Tested for: "Timelord" DNA: Status: Done_

"_Timelord" DNA Scanning Result: 50% Positive_

"Oh my God..." Zara whimpered, tears stinging the corner of her eyes. Why was The Doctor trying to hide this? Trying to hide something as big and important as this? "This... I... how is this even possible? He said there were no Timelords left! How?!"

...

The Doctor was still waiting outside the TARDIS, his arms crossed his eyes looking at everything that moved.

"What is taking that girl so long? I mean, how long does it take to find a sonic screwdriver and scan the area for-" he stopped mid-sentence. He had just remembered he had only turned the monitor off. He hadn't gotten rid of the data on it. "Oh no..." he turned around and opened the door to the TARDIS.

"Zara, I-" he stopped when he saw her. Tear stained eyes glued to the monitor and what was on it. "Zara..."

"How long were you planning to keep this from me? In fact, how long have you known this?" she asked.

"I was trying to-"

"Answer me!" Zara demanded, looking at The Doctor with a pleading expression in her eyes.

The Doctor sighed and closed the door. "I've had my suspicions for a while, I finally couldn't take it anymore. I _had_ to know, I _had_ to run tests. I'm so, _so_ sorry..."

"How long until you would tell me this?"

The Doctor stayed quiet and bit his lip nervously.

"Doctor... please..." Zara pleaded, tears falling down her faces.

"I... I don't know. I had no immediate plans. I had only found out last night and I... panicked."

Zara didn't know what to do, nor what to say. She just stood there, completely shocked.

The Doctor stepped closer, then closer, taking tentative steps towards Zara. "I can't apologize enough for not telling you immediately after I found out but I... I didn't know what to say." he told her, now standing at her side.

"You said that Timelords had been gone for a long time..."

"And I was right about that, but some of them must have had children before they..."

"How is that even possible? I was raised in an orphanage, I remember it clearly!"

"My only guess can be that you lose your memory when you regenerate..."

Zara said nothing more after that. She didn't know what to do. She settled for covering her face with the hand that wasn't holding the sonic screwdriver, and just let the tears fall.

The Doctor frowned and then held her in a comforting hug. "I'm sorry... I am so, _so_ sorry..."

"Stop apologizing, you bloody idiot... It's not your fault." Zara whimpered. "Just stop." she wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tighter.

There was never a dull moment with this man, was there?


End file.
